Suction cleaner



July 24, 192s. 1,678,111

. W. A. FRANTZ SUCTION CLEANER v WQHer A. Fmnlg BY A TTORNE Y.

July 24, 192s. I 1,678,111

" w. A. FRAN-rz sUGTIoN CLEANER 4 Filed Deo. 4, 1922 s sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR.

13/Vane? mn A TTORNE Y.

July 24, 192s.

w. A. FRAN-rz sUCTIoN GLANER Filed Deo. 4, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I N VEN TOR.

, www Mmm BY l ATTORNEY.

somewhat.l Nearl PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER A. FBANTZfOF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

sucrron Application mea member 4, 192e. serial no. 604,790.

This invention relates to suction cleaners and has for its object the provision of a.

floor cleaning device wherein the heightof the collecting nozzle is adjusted automatically by the osition of the handle. It 1s well known t at devices of this character operate most successfully only when adjusted strictly in accordance with 'the presence or thickness of the rug or Hoor covering. Thus upon a bare floor or upon a thm rug it is desirable that the nozzle be held at alow level, while upon a thick and soft rug 1t 1s necessary that the nozzle should be elevated all cleaners are made with an adjustment evice, but it is very seldom that the user knows what adjustment to make, or knowing the adjustment, makes it. Indeed, in order to secure the maximum eli'ect of such an adjustment it would be necessary to manipulate it every time the cleaner wasrun over the edgev of the rug which is obviously impractical with the prior' ma'- chines, f

Iv have observed that in the operation of any'device. which is pushed by a handle, whether suction-sweeper, carpet sweeper, lawn-mower or wheel-barrow, it is customary when the opposition to forward move- -ment is small 'to hold the handle at a comparatively high angle and thus secure rapid action, while if the opposition be increased the handle is instinctively lowered so as to secure a more direct push, and it is the essence of my invention to employ this instinctive reaction of the operator to eiect the adjustment of the cleaner nozzle thereby -enabling its elevation or depression instantly, automatically, easily and without the necessity of thought on the part of the o erator. Other objects of the invention are t e provision of a simple and inexpensive cleanersupport; the rovision of new and improved means for ho ding the handle upright when the cleaneris not 4in use; the provision of automatic means for elevating the nozzle when-the cleaner is put away. so as to relieve thelnozzle-brush oi pressure and deformation; while further objects and advantages vvilli become apparent as the description proce s.

In the drawin accompanying and a art of this applicati I have shown certain .iilustrative embodiments of my invention but without intent to limit myself thereto since the same can be modified in many wa s within the terms of the annexed claims. ig. 1 is a side elevation of a suction cleaner embod lng my improvements and showing the nozz e depressed; F1g. 2 is a -similar view showing the nozzle elevated; Fig. 3 is a top plan view o f the device shown 'in'Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a different design of cleaner illustratmg a mode of connection between the handle and the' elevating device; Fig.' 5 1s a side elevation of a different type of cleaner provided with mv improvements; and F1 6 is a topplan .view of the cleaner shown 1n Fig. 5.

The essential parts of the device'are a vbody orV casing, a Hoor tool, supporting means, and an operating handle. In the present embodiment this body is constituted by the casing of a suction cleaner, having a floor tool or nozzle- 1, a fan casing2, and a motor casing 3. I have chosen for illustrative purposesa cleaner of the electric type although it will be understood that I do not-limit this invention to such use since it can equally well be employed with traction-operated or hand-cranked devices. The nozzle is formedwith a downwardly facing collecting mouth shown in dotted lines in the diierent views in which is ordmarily mounted a suitable brush 4, either movable or Xed. The cleaner is supported upon two forward wheels 5 5 mounted on ixed axes, one at each side of the machine, and a central rear caster 6 whose shank 7 is slidably and rearwardly mounted in the bracketSprojecting centrally at the rear of the machine. Pivoted to each side of the casing upon the horizontal gudgeons 10"10 are the-fork-arms 11-11 whlch carry the operating handle 12 by which the dust bag 13 is supported and the cleaner as a whole is manipulated. Rigidly secured to oneof these arms adjacent its gudgeon is a cam plate 15 engaging the bent end 16 of a lever 17 pivoted to a second-horizontal gudgeon 18 also carried by the cleaner casing and having at its far end a horizontal portion 19 engaging the shank 7. The cam plate 15 is formed with an irreeular contour so that when the handle is he d at an intermediate angle as shown in Fig. 1, the portion 19 of the'lever is depressed relatively to the casing, thereby elevating the casing relatively to the shank 7 and depressing the nozzle; while if the handle be 'lowered further as shown in Fig. 2, the portion 19 is allowed to rise, thereyl permitting the elevation of the nozzle. v e plate is also formed with a suitable l similar netch 20 adapted to receive the projection i6 when the handle is moved to vertical positien whereby the rear enel of the casing is allowed to tall, raisin the nozzle and ho ding the handle securey in place. This serves the double function of relieving the weight on the brush and ot holding the the handle upright.

In Fi d I have illustrated an arrangement adaptation ei? my improvements to a cleaner of the upright type, wherein the motor 3 is at the top and the floor `tool or nozzle is at the bottom. The various parts are identied by the same reference characters and will be clear to those skilled in the art without further description.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown a third type of cleaner in whichv the nozzle is located in front, the motor in the rear, and the fan chamber vintermediate thereof, the common axis of the fan chamber and motor being approximately horizontal. In this case I have shown the forward wheels 5 5 as mounted on fixed axes, and the rear caster 6 having a slidable and rotatable shank 7 bearing against the horizontal portion 19a of a lever 17L operated. by a cam plate 15 carried by the nozzle-fork 11 as before.

While I do not limit myself to any lined type of cam it is further to be noticed that the particular cam here shown has two notches 20, and 2l and two raised portions 22 and 23. The notch 20 accommodates the projection 16 when the handle is vertical, the projection 22 depresses the nozzle when the handle is at a high angle, and the notch 2l receives the projection and allows the elevation of the nozzle when the handle is moved to a lower angle. In case the handle is depressed clear to horizontal position the nozzle is again depressed for the reason that thick rugs are seldom found on stairs or below heavy furniture such as beds and a minimum elevation is generally desired in these places.

I do not confine myself to that construction of cleaner wherein the nozzle is rigid with the remainder of the casin or body or wherein the wheels are fastened individually to the body since my invention is equally applicable .to a construction wherein the nozz e is movably attached or wherein the` wheels are carried upon a separate :trame or chassis as in the reissued patent of William V. Orr, No. 15,423, andmy claims are drawn with these and other alterations in view. It will, therefore, be understood that many changes in detail can be made within the scope of my invention and that l do not limit myselie to any features of construction, arrangement or design, except as the same are specifically recited in the annexed claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

l. In a suction cleaner, in combination, a casing having at its forward part a collecting nozzle formed with a narrow elongated inlet mouth arranged transversely of the cleaner axis, a pair of carrying wheels journaled to said cleaner one at each side between said mouth and the center of gravity of the casing, a carr ing wheel at the rear of the center of gravity and vertically movable relatively to the casing, an operating handle pivoted to said casing upon a transverse axis between said first wheels and said last wheel, a cam carried by said handle, and a lever pivoted to'said casing, one end of said lever engaging said cam and the other end thereof operatively connected to raise and lower said last wheel.

2. 4In a suction cleaner, in combination, a casing having at its forward part a collecting nozzle formed with a narrow, elongated, inlet mouth arranged transversely of the cleaner axis, a pair of carrying wheels jour.- naledto said cleaner one at each side between said mouth and the center of gravity of the casing, a carrying wheel at the rear of the center of gravity, certain of said wheels being vertically movable relatively to said casing, a lever pivoted to said casing and having one end operatively connected to the movable wheel, an operating handle pivoted to said casing and a cam carried by said handle and engaglng said lever.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiix my signature.

WALTER A. FRANTZ. 

